


The Spar of Love

by ninamyyly



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Culture, Alternate Universe - Canon, Author Edges You, Galra Shiro (Voltron), M/M, Soulmates, Sparring, Trans Keith (Voltron), Unresolved Romantic Tension, Unresolved Sexual Tension, afab language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-02-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:20:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22737919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninamyyly/pseuds/ninamyyly
Summary: When Keith first came to train with the Blades, they assigned him a personal mentor to look out for him, show him around and to help get him used to their ways. As soon as he laid eyes on him though, Keith knew that he would be in far more trouble with Shiro than he ever could’ve anticipated.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 157
Collections: Sheithlentines 2020





	The Spar of Love

**Author's Note:**

> My fic for Sheithlentines 2020. My recipient wanted Galra Shiro and trans Keith, so I wrote some sexy sparring :). I hope you like this, Sam!

When Keith first came to train with the Blades, it was in order to connect more deeply with his Galra roots and to learn from them what he couldn’t learn with Voltron. They assigned him a personal mentor to look out for him, show him around and to help get him used to the ways of the Blade.

At the time, when he was told about this, Keith hadn’t managed to quite hold back the hiss of, “You’re giving me a babysitter?”

The idea had reminded him far too much of the shitty foster families who made you watch and tattle on the other kids at the home at the risk of you all going hungry or getting slapped around rather than just the one who broke a plate or had gotten into a fight at school. Kolivan may have dressed up the idea nice and pretty, told Keith that his mentor would be more like a partner; for sparring and for missions, as well as a teacher and a friend, but that had just made Keith want to scoff at him. He’d sounded so much like Keith’s old social workers, who all said they wanted the best for him, who just wanted to “understand” him and “help” him with his problems. But none of them had ever taken his side, instead they always believed the parents over him and finally sent him to that prison for kids known as a boys’ home when they got tired of dealing with him.

The idea of still being seen as that lost cause child by the Blades, especially given how small they generally made Keith feel (not that he’d admit it) by their sheer differences in size alone, caused his insides to scorch with fiery anger. But because he’d come to them in order to learn, to try to be better, and they were in no way obligated to keep him, he settled for just silently grumbling as Kolivan took him to meet his new babysitter.

As soon as he laid eyes on him though, Keith knew that he would be in far more trouble with Shiro than he ever could’ve anticipated.

Keith may not have that much experience with romantic relationships, or any kinds of relationships at all, but he’s always been self-aware and honest with everyone – most people would often say a little too much so – and that includes himself. He’s always known he likes his men buff, tall and generally large. If he ever sat down with a shrink to discuss his preferences, he’s sure they would dig up all sorts of things about how they remind him of his Dad, or how bigger men give him the sense of security and peace he’s been lacking for the most of his life.

Keith doesn’t much care about that sort of thing. As far as he’s concerned, it doesn’t really matter why he likes what he likes; he just does. And Shiro, his would-be mentor, fits his profile of what constitutes as an attractive man all too well, despite the fur. Or maybe because of it. Maybe some inner Galra sense in Keith fancies Shiro’s big fluffy ears, along with the rest of him. Hell, maybe his appreciation for large-sized men is a Galra thing too. Who is he to say?

All Keith really knows is that he likes Shiro. Likes him so, so much. Possibly more than he’s ever liked another living being. Although he’s almost the tallest Galra Keith has ever come across, Keith has also quickly come to appreciate that he is kind and respectful. Despite his early expectations, Shiro has never talked down to him either. He guides and teaches him, yes, but in a way that never makes Keith feel like he’s stupid or seen as lesser than. Shiro has a manner about him that Keith barely notices he’s learning until it’s already happened. And when he does, Shiro gives him that gentle smile that makes Keith’s insides do summersaults.

Shiro is a good teacher and an even better friend to him. It’s almost annoying, and Keith would like nothing more than to curse Kolivan out for putting him in this position. Shiro pushes Keith to his limits but always knows just when to stop, when Keith really can’t take anymore. He guides Keith through the Blade ways, having grown up in the organization since he was small. He gets Keith to open up, by opening up about himself; about how his parents died under mysterious circumstances and Ulaz took him in and how everyone in the Blade worked to raise him together.

Keith finds kinship in him, telling Shiro about his Dad and the foster homes and how he’s always felt aimless before finding his place in the stars. Shiro tells him of his capture by the Empire, about the gladiator pits and how for a long time after he was rescued, it was difficult for him to find clarity. How he could not always tell if he was set on revenge or focused on the mission for the good of the universe and not just himself.

Before Keith knew it, a few months had passed and his infatuation has only gotten worse the more he and Shiro have gotten to know each other. Shiro’s mere presence is enough to drive him a little crazy, but at the same time, Keith craves his closeness like a drug. He wants to be with Shiro all the time. Wants to make Shiro proud in a way he didn’t think he was capable of wanting anyone to be. Wants Shiro to show him everything there is to know, about love and passion but also everything else Keith needs to know to be good for him.

Keith’s not used to holding himself back like this. For better or worse, he’s always carried his heart on his sleeve. With his feelings so strong as they are now, just looking at Shiro sometimes makes it difficult to not just vomit all his emotions right at his feet. But Keith knows he needs to restrain himself. He has to. He has no idea what the rules are when it comes to fraternization in the Blade, but there’s no way he’s risking finding out. At the Garrison, the mere suggestion of something between a cadet and a superior officer was worth expulsion and loss of rank.

…If Keith’s really honest with himself, that’s not the real reason he holds himself back. Shiro is his best contact in the Blade, the only one Keith can confidently rely on. Someone he cares about so, so much. A seasoned warrior; someone who has seen and done so much that Keith can only imagine. Someone, who probably sees Keith as just a kid.

Someone who could never feel the same way about him.

Shiro drives him nuts. The new exercises drive him nuts. Being stuck at the Marmora Base drives him nuts. Kolivan has yet to send Shiro and Keith on actual missions, seeming to think Keith still needs more time to get used to their ways. It only adds to his mounting frustration, leading to a lot of restless energy, which in turn leads to more sweaty training to try and work it off.

It wouldn’t be a problem, but Shiro always offers to spar with him. And because Keith actually enjoys his company, he lets him. He can’t think of a good reason to refuse Shiro’s offer to join him. But that always leads to him having to face up with situations like this; with Shiro shirtless and fierce, fighting him with everything he has, determined and dedicated. Until Keith can no longer tell if the pounding of his heart is from the sight of Shiro like this, or from the exercise he’s putting him through.

Keith dodges another blow.

“Good,” Shiro says, not giving Keith a moment to breathe before he already tries to strike again. Keith dodges again, but just barely. “Use your size, just like that. You’re smaller than me, and faster.”

Keith tries to attack Shiro’s stomach with his leg, but Shiro blocks with his arm. “Remember to not always go for the most obvious spot, aim for the unguarded areas.”

Keith pants in embarrassing, shrill pitches, his throat burning and dry, his sweaty bangs glued to his forehead. They’re just doing hand-to-hand combat today, without weapons. Shiro’s been training him in it a lot lately to build up stamina, and let off some steam without actual intention to hurt or fight. But this sort of brutal, naked battle, along with Shiro’s firm but encouraging teacher voice does nothing to help Keith feel less out of it.

“Tired?” Shiro asks, attempting a blow at Keith with his own leg.

Keith twirls out of the way, giving Shiro a grin over his shoulder. “You wish.”

He’s being stubborn, he knows. But when he sees Shiro like this, he can’t help it. As much as having Shiro so close to him like this is torture, he also painfully wants to draw out every moment. Wants to make Shiro push him a little, to pull the way he does so well; not enough to make him break, but to bend enough to know his limits and his strengths at the same time. The blurred mix of his screaming tired body, his longing and his satisfaction makes him keep going, even through the ache of it all.

Remembering Shiro’s earlier tip, Keith aims his next blow at his less guarded leg, and actually manages to land a hit. He hears Shiro hiss above him in a mix of mild pain and surprise.

“Good job,” he says. But before Keith can respond, he feels a blow behind his knees, and sees his world tilt, the high ceiling of the training hall meeting his gaze. “But you forgot to keep your guard up.”

Keith’s not going to give up that easily though. He knows he can’t stop himself from falling; he’s too far gone by now. But he can do something else.

He grabs onto Shiro, kicking him in the stomach to loosen his stance, and that seems to do the trick. Shiro falls down with him, panting above him, on top of him.

Keith manages a smirk over his own labored breathing. “How was that?”

It’s only as he sees Shiro smile down at him that Keith realizes the position he’s put them in. Shiro is all warm and solid and  _ big  _ on top of him, and they’re touching more than they probably have in all of their acquaintanceship so far, practically glued together. Keith can barely suppress a shiver as he thinks about where his knee is locked right now, what Shiro might do or sound like if he tried moving it.

He swallows, feeling his cunt quiver in his underwear, his throat suddenly dry for reasons completely outside of his exhaustion.

“That was a dirty trick,” Shiro says, still smiling at Keith, his face so close to him that it makes Keith’s stomach lurch. “But you did well.”

Keith can’t help but look into Shiro’s face then, take in his furry but chiseled features. His dark eyes, his big, fluffy ears, the scar across the bridge of his nose that twitches with every breath like it’s ticklish. Shiro smells weirdly good so close like this, warm and comforting, when Keith should probably be disgusted by his sweat. But it just makes him want to climb Shiro like a tree even more than usual.

Shiro is looking him straight in the eyes, that same determined fire that he has during the match blazing in his gaze. He opens his mouth a little, the bridge of his tongue just barely peeking out from behind his huge teeth. He makes a sound at the back of his throat that Keith can’t really name; it’s not quite a growl, and there is almost a melodic quality to it, a rhythm that seems to send Keith’s very blood singing. His skin prickles, his hair stands up; warmth floods into the bottom of his stomach and out of his cunt.

“I…” he chokes out, coughing a little to clear his throat. “I should go shower.”

Shiro closes his mouth, swallowing, before he sits up and gets off Keith. Keith immediately misses his warmth. “Of course.”

Keith gets to his feet, feeling unsteady, and just barely avoids running away from Shiro and his pounding heart, Shiro’s strange song still ringing in his ears. He’s going to need a long, cold shower  _ right now _ .

…

Shiro watches forlornly as Keith’s back slowly becomes smaller and smaller, right up until he disappears through the door out of the training hall. As the doors slide shut after him, Shiro lets out a long, heavy sigh.

He’s a proud member of the Blade of Marmora and considered one of their best warriors. He’s known for being able to keep a cool head and manage through and out of the most difficult situations. But with this particular one, he doesn’t seem to have a clue how to act or what to do.

Right when he first met Keith, Shiro knew he was the one. His true mate, the one he’d been searching for his whole life. And he could smell it on Keith that his attraction wasn’t one-sided. But no one had ever explained to Shiro how to court a Galra who didn’t know anything about the Galra courting rituals and habits.

Shiro has done his best to be patient. To be to Keith the mate he deserves and needs for the lack of being able to do anything else. Since Keith is so new to everything in the Blade and Shiro is technically his superior officer, Shiro is trying to let him make the first move. There’s nothing in the Blade rules about being romantically involved with someone in the ranks. Most Blades have a mate or a partner that they either find inside Marmora or bring along with them when they join. But given Keith’s inexperience, Shiro just thinks it’s a safer bet to let him lead them forward, at a pace that suits him.

But the problem is, Keith hasn’t done anything. And Shiro can’t for the life of him fathom  _ why _ , when he so clearly wants Shiro too. When Shiro can smell his slick so often when they’re together.

He swallows down the sourness of his own shame. He can’t believe his lack of self-control just now. Sending out a mating call for Keith definitely does not fall under the notion of letting him set the pace for the two of them. It shouldn’t matter how close together they were just moments ago, or how intimately Shiro could smell him. Shiro’s not a kit anymore. He should be able to resist a little temptation.

Especially when Keith himself had been able to. Had resisted his call.

Shiro bites on the inside of his mouth, unable to stop wondering if he’s had this wrong all along. If his senses have been all mixed up. Perhaps he’s been mistaken about Keith all along.

Maybe he’s not Shiro’s.

He lets out another sigh, and slowly gets to his feet. He should follow Keith’s example and wash himself. He needs to get his head cleared anyway. He needs to wash Keith’s warmth and smell off himself before he goes crazy.

And he needs to find a way to make sure he never lets himself slip again.


End file.
